UK CCS dialogue

A structured cross-sectoral stakeholder dialogue to accelerate the commercialisation of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) in the UK and beyond

Background

Green Alliance and the CCSA identified that the key UK stakeholders from the power sector, CCS industry, institutional investors, regulators, and environmental groups lacked a shared understanding of a way forward for CCS policy. This is reflected in ongoing campaigns against new coal power stations, creating additional investment risks. Unless addressed now, public acceptability concerns about CCS could stymie even an improved policy framework.

Yet it was also noted that there were areas of shared interest that could enable the identification of a coherent package of financing and regulation.

The aims of the UK CCS dialogue were therefore to:

improve cross-sectoral understanding, and

enable stakeholders to identify the core measures required in a stable policy framework that can accelerate the commercialisation of CCS by driving CCS investment and the reduction of carbon emissions.

The dialogue used small group discussions to maximise the opportunity for shared understanding amongst different stakeholders. The dialogue was facilitated by James Martin-Jones and Helen Ashley of 3KQ, and advised by Rich Cowart and Meg Gottstein of the Regulatory Assistance Project. It was supported financially by ClimateWorks, via its Best Practice Network on CCS Commercialisation.